You're Never Too Far From Home
by shatteredpiecestogether
Summary: Emma Swan didn't have much in life. All she really had was her son. When he gets kidnapped at only three days old, Emma feels helpless. She believes she will never find him. That is until, ten years later, he finds her. AU, kind of. Post-Curse.
1. Prolouge

You're Never Too Far From Home

_Prologue_

Emma Swan stared lovingly at the bundle in her arms. Tears poured down her face as she handed her son to the doctor. _Her son. _That phrase sounded so strange to her, yet, so _right._

"Are you sure?" The doctor asked hesitantly. "You know, it's not too late to change your mind." Emma shook her head swiftly.

"I can't…" She took a deep breath as more tears plunged down her face, "I can't be a mom." The doctor nodded, and Emma could make out the slightest look of disappointment on his face.

"Okay." Emma held her breath as the doctor began to walk out, her son in hand, and that was when it really hit her. She was really giving her son, her own flesh and blood away. She would never see him again.

"Wait." Her voice was strained, weak, and the doctor barely heard her. "I changed my mind." Smiling, the doctor turned to face her, along with her son. (_Hers_)

"Why the sudden change of heart?"

"I…" Emma paused. Truth be told, she honestly did not know the answer to that question. Why did she suddenly change her mind? Not wanting to keep the doctor waiting, she responded with the only answer she knew to be true.

"I love him."

.

"Ssshhh. Shh. It's okay, it's alright." Emma tried to soothe her crying baby. It was three in the morning and all the new mother really wanted was some rest. She hadn't really gotten any since she brought her son home to her new apartment she had bought with the money someone had sent her whilst she was in jail. The eighteen year old had a vague idea of who sent her that money, but she didn't really want to know for sure.

"Please stop crying." Emma begged her chid desperately. "Max, _please_." She sighed, tears threatening to spill. Who was she kidding? She could never be a good mother. She could never be anything. "Sometimes I wish I never would have kept you." She muttered, placing Max in his crib and flicking the light switch off. She immediately regretted her words after exiting, but what she said was true.

Emma wanted to give her baby his best chance, and truthfully, she didn't know if it was really with her. Maybe she was just being selfish. She had only thought about what she wanted and not what her child would want. He'd want a good life. He'd want a stable family. He'd want **love**. Emma wasn't sure if she could give Max all of those things.

Wiping her eyes with her sleeve, Emma laid down in bed, the springs creaking from underneath her. She was just about to fall into a deep slumber when, suddenly, she heard footsteps. They sounded like they were coming from the hallway right outside of her room. "Hello?" Emma called out, slowly sitting up. "Is anybody there?" Silence. Emma carefully slipped out of her room and edged towards Max's room. The last thing she wanted was for someone or something to harm her child.

When Emma entered her son's room, she was met with a cool breeze. Glancing over at the far wall, she discovered that the window had been left open. Emma walked over to close it, having no memory of opening the window in the first place. It was only once she passed Max's crib when she realized what was wrong.

Max wasn't in it.

"No." She whispered. It couldn't be. "No!" She screamed, sobbing hysterically. "Max!" Emma screamed, louder that time. She darted over to the light switch and turned it on. Now she could clearly see the empty room. Emma had to hold onto the crib to keep herself from falling. "Max." She uttered his name softly, burying her head in her hands.

"I love you."

**A/N: I apologize for my writing at the moment, I know it isn't the best. I'll try to make the first chapter better. You'll find out who kidnapped Emma's son and why soon enough. And, for the record, 'Max' is Henry, Emma just named him Max in the beginning. For the sake of my fic, that was his original name. Just had to clear that up. So, um…. Review please? This is my first ouat mulit-chapter fic. :) **


	2. Chapter One

You're Never Too Far From Home

_Chapter One_

Alone. That's all she ever was, minus…. No. It had been ten years ago, but sadly, the incident hadn't left Emma's mind. In fact, the memory only grew clearer as the days passed by.

Emma took her coat off and headed straight for the cupboard. After rummaging frantically through it, she finally found what she was looking for. A candle. She forced a small, sad smile as she took the cupcake she bought out of its box and placed it onto the counter, plunging the candle stick into its middle.

"This is for you, kid." She whispered as if he could hear her and lit the candle. The flame's light nearly blinded her. Emma closed her eyes and blew out the candle, making the same wish she did every single year.

"_I wish he'd come back. Please; I just want him back." _

She did this every year. It should be easier, but it just kept getting harder. And harder. And harder and harder and harder. It had gotten so hard that sometimes, Emma would find herself gasping for the air she never knew she so desperately needed.

Emma began to cry quietly as she placed the cupcake in the fridge, her appetite disappearing as fast as he did. It wasn't fair. None of it was. It shouldn't have been like that. She should have been celebrating that day with him instead of mourning over it alone. She have been smiling instead of crying. She should have been happy instead of, well… Broken.

She should have been everything she wasn't.

Her story was almost laughable, really. Losing your son the first day you bring him home. Emma truly felt pathetic. She failed. Yes, that's what she did. She failed. She had promised to herself that she would try her best to be the best possible mother ever and yet, there was she was. Alone, crying, depressed, and most importantly, without her son.

Truthfully, Emma only blamed herself. Maybe if she wasn't such an idiot and actually put his crib in her room, she would have caught the person who took him. Maybe if she weren't such a horrible mother, she would have been watching him. Maybe if she didn't…

No, it was no use. Dwelling on the past would only make her hurt worse. And that was the last thing she needed.

Emma swallowed hard as she seated herself in front of the television. What she really needed was to forget about her problems, at least for a night. That night.

After watching the same show for nearly two-hours, Emma began to grow tired. Yawning, she turned the television off and laid herself down on her small, red couch.

"Happy Birthday, kid. I miss you."

Then, she heard a knock.

**A/N: This is just a filler chapter. We get into the real stuff in the next chapter. It's midnight, so there's my excuse for sloppy writing. I should probably get to bed and write the next chapter when my brain is actually functioning properly. Goodnight, and please review! :) Hope you enjoyed a little at least! **


	3. Chapter Two

You're Never Too Far From Home

_Chapter Two_

"_A mother's love for her child is like nothing else in the world. It knows no law, no pity, it dares all things and crushes down remorselessly all that stands in its path."_

_- Agatha Christie_

**Knock. Knock. **The knocks became more rushed and more frantic as each second went by. "Okay, okay." Emma got up, smoothed down her hair and made her way over to the tall, yellow door that stood in front of her kitchen counter. Her apartment was small, but manageable enough for one person to live there. "I'm coming!" She shouted somewhat impatiently as the knocks became louder. Emma flung the door open curiously. Her breath hitched at what she saw.

A boy, eleven at the oldest. He had short, brown hair and piercing green eyes, similar to her own. His face was particularly pale, and he wore a bright smile, bright enough to light the whole building up with one flash. For some strange reason, he seemed oddly familiar.

"Ummm…" Emma's eyes darted around for an adult, one who could possibly claim the child. "Can I help you?" The boy's smile grew wider.

"Yes, actually. Are you Emma Swan?" Emma furrowed her eyebrows. How on earth did he know that?

"Yeah…" She trailed off cautiously. "How did you-"

"My name's Henry." He cut her off. The boy was beaming now. "I'm your son."

"I don't…" Tears were starting to well up in Emma's green eyes. She took a deep, strong breath and continued. "I don't have a son." The young boy did not look phased.

"Did you give up a baby for adoption ten years ago?" He asked as if he already knew the answer. He was still beaming, as if he had just found something that was worth well over a million dollars. And maybe he had.

"That's where you're wrong kid." Emma shook her head. "I didn't." The boy, Henry, looked up at her, still smiling. It looked as if he had not fully heard what Emma had just told him.

"That kid was-" He shook his head, stopping himself. "Wait..." He said, tentatively. "You… you didn't?" Pain coated his small voice, and he cowered back a bit, as if Emma were about to hit him. She knew that was not the case, though. Emma knew that look. She knew it all too well. That was the look of despair, the look of helplessness. The look you get when you find out about something great, only to have that something great get torn and ruined in the end. The look she used to have every time a kind foster family took her in, only for them to send her back not long after, on their own accord.

"Sorry, kid." Emma sympathized. She meant it, too. "I didn't."

Henry bit his lip, trying to process the new information that was given to him. "I could have sworn…" He pulled out a few pieces of paper out of his brown, worn-out back-pack and studied them intently. "It says Emma Swan right here… That's you," he pointed a finger at Emma, "right?" Emma nodded. "Well then…" Suddenly, his face lit up like a Christmas tree, once you put one too many lights on it. "I have an idea!" Henry quickly reached into his bag and pulled out a fairly large book, the words '_Once Upon A Time'_ written on the cover.

"A book?" Emma asked, grinning slightly.

"This," Henry held the book high so that Emma could see it clearly, "isn't just a book." Emma raised her eyebrows.

"It's not, huh?" Henry shook his head.

"Nope. This stuff," he opened the book and flipped to a random page, pointing at a figure dressed in white, "actually happened." Emma leaned against her doorframe, her thoughts of Max suddenly forgotten.

"Really?" She asked, folding her arms over her chest.

"Yes! Now, if only I could find the page…" Henry trailed off, frantically flipping through his book. "It has to be here somewhere. It _has _to… Aha!" He grinned triumphantly. "I got it. This will show you I'm not a liar."

"A liar about…. Oh." Emma suddenly remember what Henry's whole purpose for being there was. _He thinks I'm his mother._ "How is that book going to prove anything? It's a book of…" Emma scanned the back, "fairy tales?"

"Maybe if you let me inside I'll show you." Henry grinned mischievously, holding the book tightly in two hands. Emma laughed.

"You're delusional, kid."

But she let him in anyway.

**A/N: SECOND CHAPER IS COMPLETE! YESS! Sorry for not updating for a few weeks. I get distracted with other things… How was the chapter? If everyone reading this could review, that'd be great! :D I'll try to update really soon! **


	4. Chapter Three

You're Never Too Far From Home

_Chapter Three_

_When you look at your life, the greatest happiness's are family happiness's. _

_-Joyce Brothers_

"Do you have any juice?" Was the boy's first request as he entered Emma's apartment. Emma shook her head, grinning.

"I don't think I- Oh." She stopped abruptly when she noticed Henry was already well on his way to the fridge, opening it and searching around for a fruity drink. "Hey," Emma scolded, "I just cleaned that yesterday." Henry shrugged as pulled a small white box out of the fridge.

"It wasn't that clean, anyway." Emma gasped jokingly.

"Excuse me? For your information…." She trailed off suddenly, noticing what Henry was holding in his petite hands. "Why… why are you holding that?" She asked, pointing to the box. Henry glanced down at it, forgetting to close the refrigerator.

"This?" He inquired, holding the box up. Emma nodded slowly. "Oh, I'm kind of hungry. I didn't eat dinner, and it looks like there's food in this box." He smiled at Emma, but his smile suddenly dropped as his eyes caught sight of Emma's face. "There is food in here, right?"

"Just… put that back." She ordered faintly, sadness starting to take over once more. Henry complied, but not before opening the box to see what was inside of it.

"A cupcake… Is it your birthday?" Henry asked innocently, referring to the candle Emma had placed on the treat earlier. Emma froze, contemplating about what she should do.

"I… no," Emma sighed, motioning for Henry to come sit on the couch. The boy followed, his large book back in hand.

"Well then… whose is it?" He asked, sitting himself down beside Emma. _A little too close_, Emma thought. The blonde woman sighed.

"It's my son's." Henry looked at her, confusion clearly written on his face.

"But, it's not my birthday." Henry told Emma seriously, and she almost smiled at his innocence.

"You're not…" She waved her hand as to say '_forget it'_, "Not you." Henry gasped excitedly.

"I have another brother?!" His eyes lit up so bright, they almost blinded Emma. She was about to shake her head no, but stopped herself. It was no use, clearly nothing she said could change the boy's mind. Henry was so incredibly stubborn with his thoughts, Emma gathered, that even if they had a DNA test done and no match was found, he would still believe that she was his mother.

"He was taken from me right after I brought him home." Emma said sadly, avoiding Henry's question. "Today, ten years ago, he was born." She finished, tears glistening in her green eyes. Henry looked at her sympathetically.

"I-I'm sorry." He scanned the floor, suddenly unable to look Emma in the eye. "What was his name?"

"Max." Emma answered almost automatically. "Common, I know. I just… couldn't think of anything else." Henry nodded, understandingly.

"Do you have anything of his? Like, a bottle?" He asked curiously. Emma wondered why that would be anything of importance, but did not bother to ask.

"No," she replied. "I had bought him a blanket but… whoever took him also took that."

"I'm sorry." Henry said quietly. Emma forced a smile.

"It's okay. So, are you going to tell me about your book?" She inquired, changing the subject. Henry did a small jump in his seat.

"Yeah!" His smile had returned. "Look," he ordered, pointing to a large photo that covered almost an entire page, "see that baby?" Emma nodded, and Henry finally looked her in the eye. "That's you."

"Oh really?" Emma raised one eyebrow, in an attempt to make the kid laugh. Henry didn't stir.

"Yep. And that man holding you is your dad, or, Prince Charming." He told her in all seriousness, as if she was the ten-year-old and he was the wiser one.

"And who's my mother, Cinderella?" Emma asked sarcastically, although Henry did not pick up on it.

"Close actually," he praised her. "It's Snow White."

"Okayyy, kid. That's enough. You need to be getting home." Emma closed his book shut and Henry pouted.

"I don't want to go back without you." He protested. Emma sighed heavily.

"Alright, kid. Tell you what. I'll drive you home, but that's it." Henry smirked, as if he knew something that Emma did not.

"Okay."

"So," Emma got up from the couch and made her way into her small kitchen, "where's home?" Henry followed Emma subtly.

"Storybrooke, Maine." Emma let out a dry laugh.

"Storybrooke? Really?" Henry nodded. "Alright, then. Let's get you back to Storybrooke."

.

Emma's yellow bug skidded down the road as rain poured down heavily, causing Emma to squint.

"I'm hungry." Henry piped up suddenly from beside her.

"This isn't a road trip, kid. We're not stopping for snacks." Emma retorted, keeping her eyes on the road.

"Why not?" Henry asked.

"Look, we have to get you back soon." Emma explained. "Your parents must be worried sick." Henry groaned.

"I don't _have _parents. Only a mom, and she's evil." Henry told her.

"Evil how?"

"She's in the book, too." Henry said, reaching for the book that was placed in his brown back-pack. He opened it and turned to the exact page he was looking for. "See?" He asked, pointing to a drawing of a lady dressed in black, "that's her."

"And who is she supposed to be?" Emma asked. "Maleficent?"

"Nope," Henry responded, popping the 'p'. "She's the Evil Queen. Your mom's step-mother."

"My mom?"

"Remember," Henry placed the book onto his lap. "Snow White."

"Oh. Right." Emma continued driving. There was a moment of silence until Emma spotted a faded green sign that read 'Welcome to Storybrooke'. "This it?" She asked. Henry nodded sadly. "What's wrong?" Emma questioned, noticing Henry's sad expression.

"I don't want you to leave me." Henry stated sorrowfully, and Emma felt a surge of affection rush through her body. "I want to stay with you."

"Oh, kid." Emma stopped the car and placed a hand on his arm. "Listen, you have a mom. You have people who love you. You have a _family_. You have everything I lack. I know you think your mom is evil, but she loves you. I know that. And she just wants what's best for you." Henry shook his head.

"She _is _evil." He protested. "And she is not my mom." Emma let out a large breath as she started her car up again.

"What's your address?" She questioned, disregarding Henry's protests.

"One two three not telling you street." Henry shot back, causing Emma to stop the car so quickly they both were flung forward, their seat belts being the only things to hold them back.

"Listen, kid." Emma said, getting out of the car hastily. Henry got out, also. "It's dark out, I'm tired, and it's already…" She glanced at the large clock tower that stood right in the middle of the small town. "Eight-fifteen?"

"That clock never moves," Henry explained, following Emma's gaze. "Time is frozen here." Emma scoffed.

"_Right_."

"Everybody in this town is cursed. They don't remember who they are."

"And who are they actually?" Emma folded her arms over her chest and leaned against her car.

"They're all in the book." Henry said.

"So, everyone in this town is a fairy-tale character, but they don't remember?" Emma asked, trying to see where Henry was going with his theory.

"Exactly!" As soon as Henry had uttered that word, a man with an umbrella came over to the pair, his dog on a bright red leash.

"Henry!" He breathed out, exasperated. "Where have you been? You missed your session."

"Oh, I'm sorry Archie." Henry apologized quickly. "I went on a little field trip."

"Henry," The man, Archie, crouched down in front of Henry, "what did I tell you about lying? It never accomplishes anything."

"Umm…" Emma started awkwardly, "I don't want to interrupt but, do you know where he lives?" Her gaze was directed towards Archie while she motioned down to Henry.

"Oh, of course." Archie nodded. "Down that street over there and then up the hill. The mayor's house is right on the top, you can't miss it."

"Thanks." Emma told him. Archie nodded.

"No problem. Bye Henry. Bye…"

"She's my mom." Henry said proudly. Archie's eyes widened.

"Oh. Well then, goodbye Henry's mom." Emma sighed, not bothering to correct Archie.

"Bye." As soon as Archie was out of sight, Emma glared at Henry. "Seriously?" She asked. "You're the mayor's kid?" Henry shrunk down.

"Maybe…"

"You're unbelievable." She muttered, getting back into the car. Emma glanced at Henry's book that lay on the front seat and suddenly remembered the kid's crazy theory. "You know, that guy didn't look cursed to me."

"That's because he doesn't remember." Henry reminded her.

"So who is he supposed to be?"

"Jiminy Cricket!" Henry grinned.

"Right, and you're Pinocchio. You know, I thought your nose grew a little bit." Emma smiled as she buckled up her seat belt and continued driving.

"No I'm not!" Henry laughed, and Emma couldn't help but laugh, too.

.

**A/N: So that took a little while to write. Well, I hope you liked it at least a little bit. Please Review. :}**


	5. Chapter Four

You're Never Too Far From Home

_Chapter Four_

"_**I don't know much, but I know a mother's love. There's a certain way it shines; so radiant, so beautiful, so…proud."**_

_**-Anonymous**_

"Alright kid, we're here." Emma Swan declared as she parked her small, yet durable yellow bug on the side of the road. She twisted her car keys out of the hole they were placed in and opened the door. "Kid, come on." She spoke in a hurried tone, slight annoyance coating her speech. "It's getting late." Emma could see Henry shaking his head back and forth from the inside of the bug.

"I don't want to get out." His voice was muffled from the outside, but Emma understood his words perfectly. "I'm staying here." Emma groaned and pulled the handle to the passenger door, which, to her surprise, was locked.

"You seem to have forgotten I have the keys." She told Henry smugly, reaching into her pocket.

"And you seem to have forgotten to take them outside." Henry replied just as smug, holding up Emma's car keys in a triumphant manner. Emma's eyes widened. She'd admit she was indeed impressed, but at the same time she was ready to break a window to get that kid out of the car.

"I…" She was at a loss for words. Emma Swan was never good at getting what she wanted. "You… give those back!" Henry only grinned and waved the keys in front of the finger-printed window. "Kid!" Emma screeched, banging on the window. "Come on!"

"Sorry," Henry apologized, still grinning. "I have to."

"No," Emma countered, "you don't. All you have to do is get your butt out of my car." She spoke in a venomous tone that was perhaps too scary for a child. Ashamed, Emma added a little, "please," to try to make up for it. Henry, meanwhile, seemed to be considering it, until he suddenly burst into tears. "Oh kid…" Emma sighed, crouching in front of the window. "Come on…"

"I just… I just want to be with you." Henry breathed out between sobs. Emma groaned. If there was one thing she could not stand, it was the cries of little children. Especially when it was her fault.

"Well," Emma started after a moment's thought, "we'll talk about that, but only if you open the door." In a flash Henry's tears vanished, and were replaced with a victorious smile. Emma gasped, realizing what had just happened. "You little devil." She muttered as Henry reached over to open the door. Once it was open, Emma unbuckled Henry's seatbelt and forcefully guided him out, making sure the keys were in her possession.

"I'm sorry." Henry said, bowing his head as they made their way towards his front door. Emma nodded.

"Okay." Truthfully, she was not angry. She was, however, a tad spooked about the fact that a kid she had only met that day was totally and utterly convinced she had conceived him. Her train of thought was interrupted by the front door flinging open and a woman dashing outside.

"Henry!" She called, almost slipping as her heels came in contact with the muddy grass that covered the ground. The woman immediately flung her arms around the boy, causing him to flinch. Henry's actions went unnoticed by the woman, as she was busy checking his body for injuries. "Where have you been? Are you hurt?" She asked, trying to catch her breath. It was obvious the woman had been extremely worried.

"I found my real mom!" Henry yelled out, breaking out of the woman's grip and dashing inside. The woman stayed put, confusion written on her face as she looked at Emma.

"You're Henry's birthmother?" Was all she asked. Emma quickly shook her head.

"No, oh… no. He just, um, showed up at my door, claiming to be my son. But I don't… I don't have a son, really." The woman did not looked convinced, but she smiled nonetheless.

"How would you like a glass of the best apple cider you've ever tasted?"

.

The woman, Emma had learned, was named Regina. She had adopted Henry ten years ago, when he was only an infant. She was also a single mother and had no family in town. "We all just grew apart, I guess," was her answer when asked why her family had not joined Regina in her move to Storybrooke.

"Well," Emma said, sipping her drink, "at least you have a family." Regina placed her drink onto a small white table and seated herself down on the couch.

"You don't?"

"I mean… I guess everyone _has _a family. Not everyone knows who they are, though." Regina nodded in agreement.

"I guess so." There was a moment of awkward silence, the only sound being the clock on the wall, indicating that it was nearing eleven o' clock PM.

"I should get going." Emma announced, getting up from her seat and placing her glass of apple cider down onto the table. "Thanks for… this, though." She smiled. Regina stood, up, also.

"May I ask you something first, Miss Swan?" She asked, calling Emma by the last name she had told her earlier. Emma nodded.

"Sure."

"How do you believe my son found you? If you aren't his birthmother, like you say you aren't, then how did he find you?" Emma froze. How _did _Henry find her?

"Well… I guess…" Emma paused, finally getting an answer. "My name and location, it's been in the news for… for a while now. He could have got it from there." Regina crossed her arms.

"But why would he have reason to believe you are his birthmother?" Emma thought for a moment.

"Here's the thing. Ten years ago, around the time you say you adopted Henry, I had a son. Max. Three days after I brought him home he… he was abducted, taken from his room. Henry may have read an article, seen a broadcast, _something _like that, I don't know, and thought that maybe that boy, my son, was him." Regina's eyes suddenly got extremely large and her mouth hung open. "Of course that does sound crazy…" Emma said, hoping she had not said anything wrong. "I mean…"

"I do believe I've heard enough." Regina declared, leading Emma outside. "Thank you for bringing my son back, Miss Swan. I can handle it from here."

"Of course." Emma smiled, stepping outside. "You know, it's kind of funny." She said, just as Regina was about to close the door. "Today's my son's birthday and I, I wished to get him back, and then Henry showed up…"

"Are you trying to imply that Henry is **your **son?" Regina asked threateningly.

"Of course not." Emma stated. "I just think-"

"No." Regina cut her off. "You don't get to 'think'. You don't get to speak. You don't get to do anything. Henry is **my **son, not yours. You said so yourself. So if you think you can just waltz in here and…"

"You know what, I really should be going." Emma said, quickly descending Regina's front steps and heading back to her car. From the upstairs window, she could make out a silhouette of a boy, looking at her longingly. Suddenly, it disappeared, as if not there at all.

"I'm sorry, kid."

**A/N: I just love writing this fic. What do you guys think? Please review! :} And follow me on tumblr the-charming-family dot tumblr dot com. Send me an ask and tell me you're reading my fic and I'll follow you back. :p **


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